Cleaning periscope-glasses.



1. A. STEINMETZ.

CLEANING PERISCOPE GLASSES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-4,1916.

L wflu Patented Apr. 10,1917.

I. glvwau/coz M W25 29mm Q JOSEPH A. STEINMETZ, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA.

CLEANING PERISGOPE-GLASSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. it), @917.

Application filed October 4, 1916. Serial No. 123,795.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH A. STEINME'JZ, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident of Philadelphia, in-the county of Philadelphia andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Cleaning. Periscope Glasses, of which the following is aspecification reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

The object of this invention is to provide for keeping periscope outlookglasses clear enough for distinct Vision. It is now usual for men topass from the inside to the outside of a submarine boat in order toremove vision obstructing matter from the glass,

which is soon fogged even by salt water alone and which is more quicklymade almost useless by common hostile expedients, such for example ascovering great areas of the waters surface with oil or the like.

In accordance with this invention, fluid under pressure is dischargedagainst the exterior surface of the glass by means under control ofpersons within the submarine when the latter is closed or submerged.

In the accompanying drawing which is largely diagrammatic, I have showna vertical section through the wall of a submarine and the axis of itsperiscope. In this view, 5 represents a portion of a submarine, 6 anouter periscope tube held in any suitable way at 7 where it passesthrough the wall *of the boat, 8 a periscope head mounted on the tube 6to igotate about the vertical axis of the same, the com: mon outlookperiscope glass, 10 a common reflector, 11 a chamber at the 10 er end ofthe tube 6, and 12 a second r ector for throwing to the eye at 13 the liht entering at 9 and passing downward in the usual way. To the head 8 isrigidly connected an inner concentric tube 8, shown as extending in thisinstance into the chamber 11.

Two pipes 14, 14 are arranged to deliver against the outer surface ofthe glass 9 jets of fluid suited for removing such foreign matter as mayhave collected thereon. The pipe 14 passes through the submarine wall at15 and is provided within the vessel with a valve 16 and with separatelyvalve controlled branches 17, 18, 19, 20, leading to several sources offluid under pressure.

Outside the boat, the pipe extends upward alongside the tube 6 to apoint above and in the axis of the head where it is provided with acommon joint 21 whereby the terminal segment of the pipe may rotatefreely with the head without interfering with the flow of fluid.

The companion pipe 14 dischargesagainst the glass at another point, asshown at the lower part of the glass, although either or both points ofdischarge may be varied in location. This pipe passes into the upperpart of the rotary tube 8, downward along the wall thereof and into thechamber 11 where it passes around the reflector to a point in theperiscopes axis of rotation where it is jointed like the pipe 14 above.The part beyond this point is provided with a valve 25 by which the flowof fluid under pressure may be controlled.

\ By means of the two tubes a great variety of fluids and combinationsof fluids may be directed against the glass in different directionswhereby the glass may be quickly and eifectually cleaned, whatever thecharacter of material thereon, and without any person exposing himselfand without incurring the trouble and delay necessary for opening thesubmarine shell to allow manual cleaning. Obviously one pipe may be usedalone if desired, and there is a further incidental advantage that bothpipes will rarely be out of commission unless the periscope itself bedestroyed.

As an example of the use of the device, we may suppose vision to beobstructed by ice upon the periscope glass, and that a single pipe, 6.g. 17, is opened allowing hot air to be sprayed over the glass to removethe ice and dry the glass. Under other conditions, various liquid orgaseous fluids may be used, alone or in combination, to remove smoke,salt, oil, or any other obstructing matter. Gasolene, water, alcohol areexamples of liquids which should be provided, preferably in suitablesmall tanks wherein they are, or may be, under pressure.

Since any fluids used may be under any desired pressure, produced by ahand pump or otherwise, the glass can, if necessary, be cleaned whilestill submerged.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a periscope tube having a head revoluble aboutthe tubes axis, of a pipe arranged to discharge against the periscopeglass and having a swivel joint in the axis of rotation permitting thedis charging end portion to rotate with said head.

2. The combination with a submarine, of a periscope having a headrevoluble about a vertical axis, a pipe leading from within the vesselto position for discharging against the QXlZcl'lOl of the periscopeglass and having in the axial line of the heads rotation a jointallowing the terminal segment of the pipe to revolve with the head whiledelivering fluid.

3. The combination with a submarine, of aperiscope tube having a headrevolub'le about the tubes axis and further having internallight-deflecting means, of a pipe, outside the tube, leading from theinterior of the submarine and arranged to discharge against theperiscope glass, a second tube leading from said interior upward insidethe tube alongside the path of the light therein and thence outward todischarge against said glass, each of said pipes having a swivel jointallowing the terminal portion to rotate with said head.

4. The combination with a submarine having a periscope provided with ahead revoluble about an axial line passing through the central portionsof the reflecting surfaces, of a pipe leading from the interior of thesubmarine to position for discharging against the exterior of theperiscope glass and swiveled in said line above said head, a second pipeswiveled in said line and leading upward in the periscope tube andoutward at the head to position for discharging against said glass, andmeansfor at will supplying fluid under pressure to each of said pipes.

5. The combination with a submarine, of a periscope tube having itsupper portion revoluble about the tubes axis, of a pipe leading from theinterior of the submarine, discharging against the periscope glass andhaving aswivel joint allowing its terminal portion to rotate with saidupper portion, and means for at will supplying said pipe with variousfluids, combined or otherwise.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

JOSEPH A. STEINMETZ. I

